Odd
by GhostDoor
Summary: Loneliness, despair, pain, blood lust, death. That is all that resides within those in Hueco Mundo. Apart from one, one who had lived in despair and hollowness, she now is recreated to live in brightness. Ulquiorra's odd little espada. Ulquiorra X OC


**ODD**

**Shikaboo: **Well, here we go, the beginning to another one of my many fanfics. This is another one that will be tying in with my other stories. I do not own Bleach or the characters apart from my own OC's and plot twists. XD Please enjoy! Reviews are ALWAYS~ welcome ^_^ or super happy dances. Anything really lawlz.

**Prologue**

Darkness, deep gravity defying darkness. Or, maybe it's not gravity defying; perhaps there is not ground for gravity to be active upon. Then, if there is not land, nor gravity, then the darkness is not gravity defying, but just plain simple darkness. Oh, how sick I am of this darkness. I yearn for the human fears I used to hone, so that I would not be so comfortable within the darkness. If you are stuck within darkness, wouldn't it be rational to be afraid rather that comfortable, at home?

'Ai….look at the stars.'

Fantastic, the voice is back. 'I'm sorry friend, but there are no stars here. I wish I could look upon those stars with you.' The voice laughs at me, such a soft timber I almost fall into the darkness of my mind rather than the darkness of just my world. 'You're such a silly kid. Look up dummy.'

'I am looking up…I think.' How am I supposed to know which way is up, when for all I know I could be upside down to my friend. But if I'm upside down, why does it feel so right side up? 'You're diagonal.' Once again my friend laughs at me, and I feel a small push. Looking up, well he says it's up, I strain my abused eyes for sight of anything. 'You were wrong, friend. There are still no stars here.' My friend sighs, going quiet once again. I hate it when my friend leaves me. This darkness is so much worse, so agonizingly lonely. 'Please, don't leave me again.'

I wait anxiously, hoping he doesn't leave.

'Silly, I have to leave. I'll be back when you can look upon the stars.' He giggles once again, slowly fading away. 'Then I'll make sure to keep looking up.' Pulling my knees to my chest, I stare upward, never once releasing my eyes from the spot he had directed me.

'I hate the darkness, why am I stuck in this darkness?'

* * *

'Ai, can you see them yet?'

It's been days. No, maybe it's been months, or perhaps even hours. There is not time here in the darkness, well at least not proper time. I have time though, I keep it within myself. Every time I blink, I count a second. Ever time my heart beats, I count a minute. I have been sitting in the darkness, staring upwards for 167,100 minutes and 45 seconds.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

'Hey, Ai. Can you see the stars yet?' Yes, I can see the stars now, but I'm afraid to tell him so. My darkness is too familiar, too safe, what if the stars will hurt my darkness. I don't want to hurt my darkness, my home. 'Yes, I can see a star…no I can see three…no I can't see any stars. Why are you asking my such silly questions, friend?' He chuckles quietly, pushing a breeze into my face. He likes to do that. 'The stars won't hurt you, dummy. They're going to help you escape, to get out of here.'

Get out? I can leave the darkness. No more loneliness? No more non gravity, gravity defying darkness?

But wait, what if the star is only brightness? I don't want to be trapped within brightness. I don't want to be trapped anymore. What if the star hurts me?

No, I don't want to be in the darkness anymore.

But the stars could be angry with me for not seeing them before.

No, no, I couldn't see them before. They can't be angry for such an inescapable action.

They could hurt me.

Or the darkness could consume me.

'Friend, what should I do?' Another breeze alerts me he has moved to my left. 'Well silly, all you have to do is walk over there. Just touch it and you'll be away from the darkness.'

Unconsciously, I stand on the darkness within the darkness. My legs creak with the new action as I walk forward.

But wait, the star could hurt me…or the darkness. I don't want to hurt my darkness.

'It will not hurt you or the darkness silly. Just touch it, so that we can leave this world behind, I'm so lonely here.' My friend's voice echoes, hollow and broken, within this darkness. 'Alright, I will touch the star, so that we will not be lonely anymore.'

The brightness intensifies, hurting my eyes as I stretch for the cluster of stars. 'Promise not to hurt me, and I shall touch you.' They merely flicker beneath my touch, blurring beneath my fingertips. 'Then we have an agreement.'

My fingertips, or at least I hope they are my fingertips, might be my toes; they graze the stars' surface, and I'm flying. Or perhaps, the stars are moving around me, past me like the ghost I am. No, I am the one that is moving. I'd rather be moving than the stars.

'Where am I going?'

Suddenly, a new light fills my vision. A softer, kinder light. 'That's daylight.' Nodding quietly, I dare not look away from this "daylight". I want to step into the light, to feel it's warm and kind light. The darkness was always cold and unforgiving.

But it was also good, yes the darkness was good as well.

Wait, what if I am not really moving. What if I am just trapped, within my mind. No, impossible, if I were trapped within my mind, how would I have been able to sleep?

But, maybe I never slept, only thought that I had slept. How do I know if I have even slept? No, I did sleep. Just like…just like back…

'I cannot remember. Friend, my memories, where have they gone?'

There is no response this time, only the breeze and his fading giggles.

'I am alone….and trapped.'

I watch aimlessly as the warm kind sky drifts above me, a whole different world from my own.

What shall I do now? I could watch the sky, yes this sky is very nice. Oh, and the star's light also brightens up the darker paths. Yes, I shall enjoy it here for now.

But my friend is gone.

He'll be back, he always comes back.

But, what if he only lives within the darkness?

Then, maybe there is another friend here, in this new world.

Wait, what is this feeling? It burns!

Burning, a pain beyond all pain I have ever felt before runs through my body. It prickles, tears, shreds, burns, tugs...it is hilling me. No, it is creating me.

I have no idea if it is hurting me or fixing me...'help me, friend!'

I Cry out, thrash about, try anything to extinguish this burning. My soul, my very soul is being ripped and torn. Or maybe it is being put back together. Have I truly ever held a soul? I cannot think, I cannot remember. The burning is unbearable, why did my friend deceive me? He said the starlight would not harm me, but I am in pain. It is burning my soul.

"Awaken."

Falling limp to the groundless ground, I stare listlessly to the warm sky. There is no more pain, only a feeling of hollowness. No, no it is not hollowness. My soul…it has been regenerated. I feel…almost complete. There is a deep, constant beat within my chest. 'My heart, it is beating regularly.'

Quietly, I watch as the warm sky comes closer. It easily shatters the barrier I had been trapped beneath.

'It is so warm…what is this feeling?' A soft, almost weightless substance tickles along my arms and back, brushing my cheeks. "Where am I?" My voice, it works. "You, my child, are in Hueco Mundo." Rolling my head to the side, I stare wide eyed up at the three men around me. The first, he is closest to me, has an unkind smile and hardened brown eyes. 'He is not a friend'. The next is a tall silver headed man with closed eyes and a large smile. 'He is a friend'. The last man is facing away from me, his chocolate skin shining brightly beneath the sun. 'He is…an acquaintance'.

Gently lifting myself from the ground, I stare up at the first man. A deep twist within my stomach convinces me even more to not trust this man. 'Not a friend.' He smiles at me, holding out one hand, but I decline it. "What is your name?" He stares at me, a cold glint within those brown eyes. "Sosuke Aizen. As for you, woman?" I shake my head, thinking back to the darkness. 'Did I even have a name?'

Yes, yes I had a name.

But I don't remember it.

Yes I do. My friend, he knew my name.

I don't remember my name.

It is Ai….

'Ai Kato.' My friend, he has not left me. 'No, Ai, I shall never leave you.' He laughs once again, filling my inner thoughts to the brim with its brightness.

"Ai Kato. My name is Ai." He nods, pleased for some reason. "Ai, would you join my army, as an Espada? There will be many others, powerful and awakened, just as you are." I stare up at him once again.

I do not like to fight.

But, I don't want to go back to the darkness.

Then I shall fight.

No, I do not have to fight.

That's right, I am too fast for any fighter to catch.

I shall join the army.

"Yes, I'll join your army." The man's smile reappears easily, well practiced. He stands, talking quietly to the silver haired man to his right before quickly walking off. I stare after him for only a second before turning back to the silver haired man before me. The man nods once, turning his large smile on me. "Well, well Ai-chan, le's ge' ya some clothes, ya?" Looking down, I stare fascinated at my naked flesh. 'I have a body now, friend.' Smiling, I look up to the man and nod once again.

He hands me some clothing, all white with black borders. Quietly, I dress, listening to the silver haired man talk or occasionally whistle to himself. He turns around once again, watching me with amusement as I prod the small hole beneath my sternum. "So, wha' numba are ya, Ai-chan?" I glance to the inked skin peeking up from beneath my partially clothed hip. Tugging on the fabric, I reveal the dark black 2 ½. He whistles delightfully, running one long finger over the numbers. "Aizen'll b' pretty surpris'd by dat."

Whistling again, he shakes his head before looking up to the warm sky. Staring at him in quiet wonder, I find my hand gently tugging on the large bellbottom sleeve around his wrist. His smile drops in surprise as he looks down at me.

"Friends?"

Blue cyan irises peek out from the surprised slits of the man's eyes before he smiles again, and grips my hand within his.

"Friends."


End file.
